There were so many
things wrong first with the timing of the award and then the award itself
before we look at the justification given for making this award.

Too flawed for comment

The first question
that came to mind was how an award for 2011 could only be made 10 months into
the following year. One would think year awards like this would have been made
the previous year like 2010 so that it serves as a pointer to the service to be
expected rather than the year after as if it were made retrospectively giving
no indication of the service to expect afterwards – the whole concept was
fundamentally flawed.

As it transpired,
despite being the best domestic airline for 2011, on the 3rd of June,
2012 within an hour of take-off for a flight lasting no longer than 1 hour in
clear and good weather two engines of a supposedly well-maintained aircraft in
Dana Airline’s fleet failed and with that 153 lives perished in a Lagos suburb
apart from lives lost on the ground, along with the loss of livelihoods and
property.

Why? O Why?

The toughest
questions as to why this happened are yet to be properly answered, compensation
has not been fully paid, due process and justice have not yet been served and
much else that would make Nigerians seriously wary of air travel looks like boarding flying coffins.

It is in the light
of this that the FAAN decided to shower accolades on Dana Airline. Now, until
that day, there probably were good enough grounds for praising and rewarding
Dana Airline, they seemed to tick every box that made for customer satisfaction
even at the barest minimum for Nigerians though it is doubtful such will
compare to service one would expect of more savvy and sophisticated airlines.

However, after that
air crash it should have not been too much to expect the FAAN officials to be
more considerate and understanding of the changed times and circumstances that
cancelling the ceremony for award for its lateness and then the circumstances
would have won widespread support and appreciation.

These are no human-beings

Sadly, we have been
misguided by the belief that some sense of humanity, empathy, compassion and
heart exists in these people who appear in human flesh but are habitations of
the hellish evil and heartlessness of demonic influence unable to apprehend and
comprehend the Zeitgeist.

So, FAAN’s Regional
General Manager, Mr. Chris Bature had this much to say, “Mode of selection includes
passenger capacity, frequency of the landing and take-off, their response to
payment of bills. Among the domestic carriers, they were the best. They had the
best volume, they were punctual in their operations.”

The brazenness of it all

All of this would
have been acceptable until the moment a distress call was made before the
crash. Between a mockery of our intelligence and spitting on the graves of the
victims, he went on to suggest the award was made after Dana Airline’s licence
was restored, as if to say we now have to move on from the yet unresolved
issues around that air crash.

In justification of the award he suggested, “In all fairness, they
did their best and we need to recognise that and encourage them to get back to
their feet.”
And as if the intelligence of all concerned had not been insulted enough he lamented
over the loss of lives occasioned by the crash, stressing that the operator
visited and commiserated with the families of the deceased.

Cry all you like

I would hate to
read this as crudely as it sounds, but I doubt I would be remiss in thinking
what was suggested here was a visitation and commiseration to families of those
who by all intents were unlawfully killed probably by negligence on the part of
the whole of the chain of command that allowed for this completely avoidable air
crash to happen was complete enough as to let bygones be bygones for Dana
Airline has to return to the business of God forbid the floating of flying
coffins again.

What is more
horrible about this utterly reprehensible and repugnant affair is that it is so
indicative of the “I don’t give a
damn” in Nigeria attitude that the President voiced months ago to
the general populace.

Enough!

A lack of interest,
concern and more seriously conscience seems to be the bane of Nigeria and it could
easily be the reason we have endemic corruption, unaccountable leaders, the
absence of infrastructure, the terrorism and the security issues amongst other problems
in Nigeria because every institution with responsibility and duty does
not give a damn about what they do or how they are perceived and because
of this they act with impunity with no threat of consequence.

The brazenness of
it all is breath-taking and if after this we are not as infuriated enough to
take Nigeria back from the unconscionable grip of these kakistocrats in
officialdom, we will be forever doomed because frankly my people, they just don't give a damn.

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I have many stories to tell, I am English of Nigerian parentage, I lived in the Netherlands for 12 years, returned to the UK recently but still have wander lust - the rest is somewhere online, most likely in on blogs.